National Historic Trails Interpretive Center Announces Holiday on the Homestead:Model Trains, Holiday Music, the Prairie Sweet Shop and More

Dip pretzels in melted chocolate, create a Christmas ornament, and operate model trains at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center.

Visitors will have the opportunity to operate nine model trains atthe Trails Center.

The Trails Center’s annual “Holiday on the Homestead” will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival will feature holiday music, pioneer demonstrations, along with a variety of activities.

The festival is free and open to the public. Visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to benefit the Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies and families of Natrona County.

“Holiday on the Homestead is a community holiday celebration,” said Trails Center Director Mike Abel. “We are offering a variety of family-oriented, educational and fun activities.”

Visit the Prairie Sweet Shop Stop by the Prairie Sweet Shop and make your own chocolate treats. A Trails Center pioneer reenactor will melt the chocolate in Dutch ovens. While supplies last.

Take family photos in pioneer clothes Dress up in pioneer clothes for old-time, family photos. A pioneer reenactor and professional photographer will assist families in dressing up in traditional pioneer clothing for photographs. Participants must provide a digital camera for photos.

Carve a snow flake Visit the snowflake station, and cut out your own paper snowflake. Designs will decorate the Trails Center’s lobby.

Casper College Clarinet Ensemble Enjoy holiday selections by the Casper College Clarinet Ensemble under the leadership of Dr. Jerome Fleg, instructor of woodwinds at Casper College. The students will perform at 11 a.m.

Ana, Rachel and Friends Local musical group Ana, Rachel and Friends will present traditional holiday string music in the theater at 12 p.m.

Penny Candy The National Historic Trails Center Foundation will feature a Penny Candy Store! Choose from an assortment of candy from candy sticks and taffy to filled red raspberries and drops. All proceeds from this sale will help enhance the Trails Center’s award-winning film, “Footsteps to the West.”

Transportation Through Time Discover the development of transportation by creating your own transportation timeline. Utilize the first means of transportation, your feet, to meander through the galleries. Answer the transportation questions along the way and receive your timeline stamps and stickers. Complete your timeline and enter the drawing for a chance to win a basket of donated goodies.

Hang out with Seymour! The Bureau of Land Management mascot Seymour Antelope will make an appearance. Seymour raises awareness about the importance of connecting children and families with nature and public lands.

For more information about “Holiday on the Homestead,” call 307-261-7780.

The NHTIC is a part of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS). The areas of the NLCS are specifically designed to conserve, protect and restore the exceptional scientific, natural, cultural, ecological, historical, and recreation values of these treasured landscapes.

The NHTIC is a public-private partnership between the BLM and the National Historic Trails Center Foundation. The facility is located at 1501 N. Poplar Street, Casper, Wyo. The Center is currently operating on winter hours, and is open Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands.